The U.S. government has approved its first-ever offshore leases for deep-sea mining near American Samoa, marking a historic step in an untested industry. While the practice has never been carried out at this scale, the seafloor in these areas is believed to hold significant mineral deposits. The move comes as environmental and scientific concerns grow over the potential ecological impacts of disturbing deep-ocean ecosystems. Critics argue the risks remain largely unstudied, raising questions about whether the benefits outweigh the unknown consequences.
The Trump administration is officially moving ahead with a decision to lease ocean tracts off the coast of American Samoa for deep-sea mining. The decision, announced Monday, would represent the first time the U.S. government has offered up offshore mining leases. Large-scale deep-sea mining has never been done before, but the seafloor could contain valuable...
